Leg support



March 4, 1958 c. w. HARDIVN I LEG SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Shget 1 Filed May 12, 1955 FIG.

FEGB.

Arm RN E YS Mrch 4, 1958 c. w. HARDIN LEG SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 12, 1955 INVENTOR.

Cla'repc e Hardin.

ATTD RN EYB United States Patent LEG SUPPORT Clarence W. Hardin, Duncan, Okla.

Application May 12, 1955, Serial No. 507,791

2 Claims. (Cl. -327) This invention relates to a support, and more particularly to a device for supporting the legs or hips in an upwardly inclined or raised position.

The object of the invention is to provide a support member for use by persons lying down on a couch or lying in bed or the like whereby the legs, thighs, hips and the like will be supported in a raised position to insure greater relaxation and help for the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support which will permit the user to achieve greater relaxation and health since the legs can be maintained in a raised position so that there will be less strain on the heart, and whereby the device can be readily folded to occupy a minimum amount of space as when it is to be shipped or stored.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support member which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the support member mounted on a bed, the bed being shown in broken lines, and the support member ready for use.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the support member.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the support member, with the parts in folded or collapsed position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the support member.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating certain constructional details of the device and showing the mechanism for maintaining the device in extended or operative position.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a bed in broken lines in Figure 1, and the present invention is directed to a support member which is indicated generally by the numeral 11. The support member 11 is adapted to be used for supporting or maintaining a persons legs, thighs, and hips in a raised position when the person is lying in the bed or on a couch.

The support member 11 of the present invention includes a base 12 which can be made of any suitable material, and as shown in Figures 1 and 5, when the device is being used, the base 12 is in an inclined position. A pad 14 of yieldable material is secured to the upper surface of the base 12, and a cover 15 may extend along the outer or upper surface of the pad 14 and is secured thereto.

Arranged contiguous to the lower end of the base 12 is a bar 16, and the bar 16 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the base 12 through the medium of a hinge assembly or assemblies 17.

For maintaining the base 12 in its inclined position, there is provided a pair of spaced parallel legs 18 which have their upper ends hingedly connected to the base 12 by means of hinges 19, Figure 5. A brace 20 interconnects the legs 18 together, and a body member 21 is hingedly connected to the lower ends of the legs 18 by means of hinges 22, the body member 21 helping to stabilize the device. The upper ends of the legs 18 are inclined slightly as at 23, and the lower ends of the legs 18 are inclined as at 24 so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 the base will be supported in its proper inclined position.

There is further provided a means for maintaining the parts immobile in their operative position, and this means comprises a beam 25 which has one end hingedly connected to the lower surface of the base 12 by means of a hinge 26. A bracket 27 which may be made of metal or the like, includes an intermediate offset portion 28 which is secured to the other end of the beam 25 by suitable securing elements such as screws or nails 29, Figure 2. The bracket 27 further includes outwardly extending or diverging portion 30 which terminate in flat portions 31. Each of the flat portions 31 is provided with a slot or cutout 32 which is adapted to engage or receive therein pins 33 which extend inwardly from the legs 18. Thus, by disengaging the portions 31 from the pins 33, the device can be folded from the position shown in Figures 1 and 5 to the position shown in Figure 4 as when the device is to be stored or shipped whereby it will occupy a minimum amount of space.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a support member 11 which can be used in a bed, couch or the like and in use the support member 11 may be positioned in the bed 10 as shown in Figure 1. The legs 18 when in the substantially vertical position will support the base 12 in the inclined position so that a person may place his head on the bed 10 and then place his or her legs on the pad 14. Thus, the legs, thighs, and hips will be maintained in a raised or inclined position so that the person can relax completely and have his or her health greatly benefited. The bar 16 helps stabilize or support the front end of the device, and the body member 21 adds stability to the lower ends of the legs 18. The upper and lower ends of the legs 18 are inclined as at 23 and 24 so that the parts will be supported in their proper position. The beam 25 has the bracket 27 connected thereto, and the slots 32 of the bracket 27 engage the pins 33 so as to prevent the device from accidentally collapsing when in use. However, when the device is not being used, the bracket 27 can be disengaged from the pins 33 so as to permit the device to be folded from the position shown in Figures 1 and 5 to the position shown in Figure 4 whereby it will occupy a minimum amount of space.

By having the legs elevated or supported, the person will be able to readily relax. The device is neat,- compact, and is one complete unit. The present invention is especially suitable for people who are tired or who have poor circulation, sagging organs and the like since the legs and hips are elevated. The device can be kept near the couch or bed ready to be used. Not only is the device suitable for use by invalids, but it is also adapted to be used by anyone else. The device is light in weight and the pad 14 helps increase the comfort thereof. Due to the provision of the various hinges, the parts can be readily folded to the position shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the device can be readily opened for use or readily closed without any difliculty. The bar 16, body member 21, and base 12 have the same width, but the size and shapes of the parts can be varied as desired.

"I claim:

1. ma support 'member,an'inclined'liase,'a'yieldable pad secured along the upper surface of said base, a cover extending along the upper surface of said ipad, abar hingedly connected to'thelower end "of sziid base, pair of vertically disposed spaced parallellegs hingedly con' nected to' the upper portion (if said base, ,a braceexten'ding between said legs and secured "thereto, a body member hingedly connected to the'lowerendsof 'saidlegs, a beam having one end hingedly connected'tothe lower surface of said base intermediatejthe end's'thereof, a bracket including an intermediate offset portion secured to the other end of said beam, 21 pair of diverging sections extending outwardly from said ofiset portion, spaced parallel flat portions eXtending'fromthe ends of said divergent sections and provided with "slots, pins extending from the inner surfaces'of said legs'for engagement by said slots, and the upper and lower edges of said legs 'are inclined whereby said legs may befolded against s'ai'cib'asc when the device is not being used. v

2. A supportrnember for use insupportin'g or maintain ing a persons legs, thighs and hips in "a raised position when the person is lying in bedor on a couch, comprising an inclined base, a bar hin'gedly connected to the lower end of said base for helping to stabilize or support an end of the support member, a pair of vertically disposed spaced parallel legs hingedly connected to the upper portion of said base, a brace extending between said legs and 'SEECUrd'fliftO, a "body member 'hinge'dly connected to the lower ends of said legs for helping to stabilize the device, a beam having one end hingedly connected to the lower surface of said base intermediate the ends thereof, a bracket including an intermediate offset portion secured to the other end of said beam, a pair of diverging sections extending outwardly from said oifset portion, spaced parallel flat portions extending from the ends of said divergent sections and provided with slots, and pins extending from the inner surfaces of s'aid legsfor engagement by said slots whereby by disengaging the flat portions from the'pins,'the device ca'n'be folded as when the device is to be stored or shipped whereby it will occupy a minimum amount of space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 364,412 Hendricks :June 7, 1887 1,033,905 Kaplan- July '30, 1912 1,281,074 -Russell Oct.'8, 1918 "FOREIGN PATENTS 175,023 Canada Feb. 13, 1917 376,980 France Aug. 26, 1907 448,367 Great Britain June 8, 1936 

